digital black and white

[pia_hasenclever]

I am using a digital SRL and i'm having a bit of trouble getting the results I want with black and white

images.

 

I need to know where I can study a bit more on black and white conversion. Does anybody know about

workshops or courses in the US? What about Internet resources? Also, what is the best software to do this?

Right now I am using Adobe Photoshop CS3.

 

Thank you very much!

[ellis_vener_photography]

Photoshop CS3 has some pretty good B&W conversion tools built in. Have you tried them? They duplicate the channel mixer tricks we used to have to do. Look under Image >Adjustments

[jesse_whittle_utter]

Adobe has tons of instructional videos for free viewing online that I have found very helpful. I just watched one on converting color images to B&W, and it seems to me that you ultimately have more control over the final image if you shoot in color. (You'll see why.) Hope that helps. Link:

 

http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/video_workshop

[Brad_]

>>> Also, what is the best software to do this? <P>

 

I don't think there is a "best" software as there are many B&W conversion methods. However, I've been using two

methods for many years that I'm still happy with.<P>

 

The first, which is free, is the Gradient Map method: Image > Adjustments > Gradient Map, And then click the gradient

area and then select one of the B&W gradient options. Adjust Smoothness to taste. <P>

 

A better method is a photoshop pluggin called Convert to B&W Pro. Far better than any of the "channel mixer" methods.

It abstracts out a lot of the slider adjustments in CS3. Also provides input color filtration (key to good results) emulsion

emulation, exposure and contrast control, and output toning. All in one pane with a realtime image preview. Enough

there to get the look you're seeking.<P>

 

<center>

<img src= "http://pages.sbcglobal.net/b-evans/Images22/SFWeb%208-05-07/image/bugs.jpg">

</a>

[godfrey]

<center>

<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/ramarren/photo/PAW7/large/21d-half.jpg"

target=new>

<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/ramarren/photo/PAW7/large/21d.jpg" border=0>

</a><br>

Early Light #2, San Francisco 2007<br><i>

©2007 by Godfrey DiGiorgi<br>

Pentax K10D + DA70/2.4 Limited<br>

ISO 100 @ f/14 @ 1/80 sec, Av <br>

<br>

Click the image above for a larger version in a separate window.<br></i>

</center><br>

I like using the Channel Mixer in Photoshop and Lightroom's B&W rendering tools. Both

provide good results. I use Brad's "Gradient Map" method too.

<br>

Whatever works to produce the results you want is good. <br>

<br>

Godfrey

[steve_bingham]

I use PS CS3. Image - Adjust - Black and White. This converts any color image to b&w using pre-set filters or your own fine adjustments. Here is a sample: http://dustylens.com/Born-Jan-1901-1.jpg

[steve_bingham]

Hmm. Let's try this way.

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?topic_id=1481&msg_id=00MKLe&photo_id=6324586&photo_sel_index=0

[bob_estremera]

I've been researching digital b&w for some time.

Came across Greg Gorman's (he's a pretty big-time b&w guru) method.

Google: Greg Gorman black and white. Click on the link that shows up on his website

(nowhere else). You'll come to a PDF with every step.

Then I added a Levels and a curves layer on top of everything he listed.

I printed it out and made an action out of every step. With one click, BAM, you've got a

great conversion with one click.

 

It deliver very excellent and variable layers with which to 'dial in' whatever mood a photo

may require.

 

Give it a shot before you lay out any money. It may be your best option, for free.

Bob

[bob_estremera]

Oh, one more thing,

 

Digital capture often fails to really get the tonal range (or something like it) of b&w film.

For contrasty scenes, whether daylight or nightime, you may be forced to take two

exposures, one for shadow, placed to the 'zone' you want them in and another for the

hightlights so they have the detail the image requires.

Rather than go through gymnastics in PS to blend them, just to to the Photomatix website

and download the free version. It only allow 2 ways of blending 2 images, BUT, it does a

terrific job.

If it's falling short of giving you what you want, you'll have to go back to PS, and place one

image on top of the other (with perfect registration) and use the paint brush reveal the

combination of light and dark exposures desired.

Bob

[richam]

I found <a

href="http://www.journalofaphotographer.com/workflow_tutorials/tutorial_converting_color

_images_to_black_and_white.php">Martin Fuchs workflow</a> quite useful. He has a PS

action you can download for free.

[corey_gardner1]

You can also take the Gradient Map method mentioned above and add a Soft Light layer before the gradient map. Adjust the opacity as desired. This gives a pretty punchy black and white.

[bob_estremera]

Yes, to the Martin Fuchs workflow mentioned above.

It has many of the same steps as Gorman's so I think you'll get results that you like with that

one as well.

Bob

[pia_hasenclever]

Thank you guys so much! It's been very helpful :)